n. | 1. | The act of progressing by regular steps or orderly arrangement; the state of being graded or arranged in ranks; |
2. | The act or process of bringing to a certain grade. | |
3. | Any degree or relative position in an order or series. | |
4. | (Fine Arts) A gradual passing from one tint to another or from a darker to a lighter shade, as in painting or drawing. | |
6. | (Mus.) A diatonic ascending or descending succession of chords. | |
v. t. | 1. | To form with gradations. |
Noun | 1. | gradation - relative position in a graded series; "always a step behind"; "subtle gradations in color"; "keep in step with the fashions" Synonyms: step |
2. | gradation - a degree of ablaut Synonyms: grade | |
3. | gradation - the act of arranging in grades Synonyms: graduation |